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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26358091">The Perfect Boyfriend</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Always_Dreaming/pseuds/Always_Dreaming'>Always_Dreaming</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>MotoGP RPF, Motorcycling RPF</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Dog giving birth, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, Heartbreak, M/M, Puppies</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 05:40:56</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,808</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26358091</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Always_Dreaming/pseuds/Always_Dreaming</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Alex is in a happy relationship with the perfect boyfriend, or is he?</p><p> </p><p>(And you have to imagine that all the riders live near each other)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Alex Marquez/Maverick Viñales, Luca Marini/Alex Marquez</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Perfect Boyfriend</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Alex Marquez was very surprised when Luca Marini picked him up at a riders’ after-race party and they had a wild night of passion in his motorhome. He was even more surprised when Luca kept pursuing him with amorous texts and suddenly appearing near him in the paddock and outside his motorhome. </p><p>When Luca wanted something, he generally got it, so they became a couple and spent the next two months always together, in and out of bed. Luca even took Alex to the ranch, where he had great fun racing with the VR46 riders, testing different bikes, getting to know everyone. It was like paradise, a new world had opened up for him.</p><p>Everyone knew Alex and Luca were a couple, even Marc. But he was very suspicious about his little brother’s relationship. </p><p>“He's using you,” he told Alex. “He's using you to get to me. It’s something Valentino is doing to manipulate us, believe me. I don't think Luca is the right one and you should break up with him.”</p><p>“Don't be stupid,” retorted Alex. “Luca treats me well, we’re really happy, and not everything is about you and Vale. There are other people in the world who have other lives apart from you two.”</p><p>Alex was very happy, he had the perfect, gorgeous boyfriend who he spent fun-filled days with and passionate nights with, everyone was pleased for him—except Marc of course—and his life was going really well.</p><p>***</p><p>One sunny evening, Alex was surprised by an unexpected ring on the doorbell, and outside stood Luca, looking as gorgeous as ever in dark jeans, a brightly coloured shirt with a jumper knotted round his neck and driving gloves in one hand.</p><p>“Ooh!” Alex exclaimed. “Driving gloves! Are we going somewhere?”</p><p>Luca looked down at the gloves, as if he’d forgotten they were there. “No, I’ve just come round to tell you something.”</p><p>“Oh yes?” Alex felt uneasy at the cold look in the Italian’s eyes.</p><p>“I’ve just come to tell you it's over.” His face was more impassive than Alex had ever seen it before.</p><p>“What's over?”</p><p>“Us. Well there was never really an <em>us</em>, was there.”</p><p>“WHAT?” Alex shouted and Stich and Shira came running into the room barking.</p><p>“Vale bet me I could make you fall in love with me and get you into bed, and he bet me a Bugatti, which I’m picking up now, I’m going to—”</p><p>“Luca! Stop. What are you talking about?”</p><p>“It's over between us. It wasn't real anyway so I thought I’d better tell you in person. It wouldn’t be right texting or phoning you would it?”</p><p>Alex stared at him, his mouth dropping open. “So you think you're good because you came to tell me it's over in person that it was all a bet and not real, instead of phoning or texting?”</p><p>“Yes, I couldn’t do it over the phone.” Luca noticed a mirror and started admiringly rearranging his hair in the reflection.</p><p>Alex just stood there staring at him. He felt a tear seeping out of his eye, but he was determined not to show it so wiped it away with his sleeve. “So Vale bet you that you could get me to fall in love with you and get into bed with you, is that right?” He could feel anger growing in his stomach, burning up towards his chest.</p><p>“Yes that's right and I did.” Luca’s smile was so cold, he looked like an assassin. </p><p>Just then, Alex’s phone rang. <em>it must be Marc checking up on me, he's always checking up on me. I wish I didn't have such a nosey big brother.</em> He took the phone out of his pocket ready to press <em>reject call</em> then he saw it was Maverick. It was unusual for the younger Yamaha rider to call him, what could it be about? But Alex wanted to annoy Luca at this moment, so he held up his palm to the blond to signal he'd finished with him, and pressed <em>accept call.</em> </p><p>“Alex!” shouted Maverick, sounding scared and shaky. “Help! Minnie’s having her puppies and I don't know what to do but you're really good with dogs but if you're busy, don't worry I’ll get someone else but I thought you could help me, can you come over please?”</p><p>Alex considered for a second. Should he stay here and mope over his weird ex-boyfriend or go and help a dog?</p><p>“I’ll be straight over,” he said. “In ten minutes.” He caught another glimpse of Luca posing and fiddling with his hair in the mirror, and Alex rolled his eyes. “See you soon,” he said to Maverick. He pressed <em>end call</em>, walked up to Luca and pushed him towards the door. Stich and Shira were still barking and growling at the Italian.</p><p>“What?” said Luca, taken by surprise.</p><p>“Get out. I never want to see you again, don't ever speak to me again and don't ever come near me again.”</p><p>“But—but—”</p><p>“Get. Out.” Alex pushed him quite violently out of the front door and slammed it in his face, which made the Honda rider feel a lot better.</p><p>***</p><p>Alex was pretty angry so he ran round to Maverick's house instead of taking his bike or car. He began hammering on the door when he got there, then a very flustered Maverick answered. His hair was wildly tousled and he was red in the face.</p><p>“Quick, she's in here!” he exclaimed, dragging Alex by the arm into the utility room. Minnie was staggering round in there, a couple of puppies were lying in her bed but there were obviously some more to come.</p><p>“What do I do?” asked Maverick. “I don't know how to help her.”</p><p>“Okay, stay calm,” said Alex. “This is what we do, sit close but not near enough to frighten her. We’ve just got to keep calm because she will pick up our fears from us, so just try and keep calm and it’ll help her.” </p><p>Just then she pushed again and another puppy popped out. It seemed to be trapped in the amniotic sac, struggling, so Maverick looked panicky.</p><p>“It's okay,” said Alex. “She’ll lick it off.”</p><p>Then after a few moments of worry, she did and the puppy escaped.</p><p>Eventually, eight puppies had been born, they were all squirming and wriggling trying to get to Minnie’s teats. The poor dog was exhausted and she lay down while the two riders helped the puppies to get to the milk, without touching them so she wouldn't reject them. They used rolled up newspapers to push the puppies in the right direction.</p><p>“Thank god you were here,” said Maverick. “I didn’t know what to do.”</p><p>“I’m glad I came.” Alex sat back on his heels. “Before you called, Luca came round to end it with me.”</p><p>“WHAT?”</p><p>“Luca came round and said it was over, and other things I didn’t want to hear.” Alex didn’t really want to talk about it, so he hoped Maverick wouldn’t press him for details and he was relieved when he didn’t. He just gave Alex a knowing look, then got on with taking care of Minnie. </p><p>The room looked like a crime scene—there was blood, poo and various other fluids everywhere and the two riders and the floor were covered in it. They had to clear all that up while Minnie went to sleep and the puppies suckled milk.</p><p>“I think this is going to need mopping isn't it,” said Alex, looking at the floor. “I’ll do that later.”</p><p>“No you won't. You've been round here helping me and it sounds like you were having a bad evening anyway.”</p><p>“Yeah, before I got here it was pretty crappy. But I better go now, it’s late.” His watch said 1.00 a.m.</p><p>“I don’t think so. You’re staying for a meal. We’ll clean up then have showers.”</p><p>***</p><p>After Alex came out of the shower, he sat looking at the tiny puppies suckling and snoozing by their mum, and an overwhelming feeling of sadness came over him. <em>What an idiot I’ve been with Luca. I thought we were in love, in a relationship, but now everybody will be laughing at me. Luca, Vale, the VR46 boys, the world, my brother...</em> He gave a big sigh, then Maverick came in, his hair wet from the shower, sticking up all over the place.</p><p>“How about paella?”</p><p>“Oh yes please!” It reminded Alex of being at home—the comfort food his mama made.</p><p>In the kitchen, Maverick got on with chopping the vegetables and other things, putting on the rice and mixing everything together, but it was 2.00 a.m. by the time they sat down, both trying hard to keep their eyes open.</p><p>“This must be what it's like to be parents,” said Alex.</p><p>“Oh my god, I’m never having any kids then.” </p><p>They laughed and Alex gritted his teeth. “Well, what happened with Luca was—”</p><p>“You don't have to tell me if you don't want to.”</p><p>“I’d rather tell you before the whole world knows and they’re all laughing at me. It was all about Vale, who bet him he could go out with me, make me fall in love with him, get into bed with him…” He told Maverick the whole story with no pauses, because he needed to get it out, finishing with, “there's a name for that isn't there? Is it catfishing?”</p><p>“Err…I don't think so.” Maverick spooned more paella onto Alex’s plate. “It's just called <em>being complete assholes.</em>”</p><p>“And now I have to tell Marc. He's going to say <em>I told you so</em> isn't he? He’s been warning me off Luca for weeks.”</p><p>“He won't do anything like that, he really loves you. He’s more likely to go round and punch them in the face. If this happened to me, Isaac would be round there beating them up.”</p><p>They finished the meal just chatting about general things like racing, the weather, dogs and other pets, and all sorts of things. By that time it was 3.00 a.m. and Alex really didn't want to go back to his house alone.</p><p>“Do you mind if I stay here?” he asked in a small voice.</p><p>“Of course not. I owe you for helping me with Minnie. You really, really helped us today. I'll just get the spare room ready.” He bustled off to do that.</p><p>When he said <em>spare room</em> Alex knew it was one of many because it was a big house, so he wondered which room he’d get. So after a while, Alex shuffled after him to find a pleasant room full of Maverick’s trophies and a bed made with a Star Wars duvet cover.</p><p>After Maverick left, he stripped down to his boxer shorts and got into bed, his eyes closing.</p><p>His host came to say goodnight. “So you know where everything is, feel free to go to the kitchen and get some more food or do whatever you want, within reason.”</p><p>Alex was lying in bed looking up at him, his arms outside the cover.</p><p>“Put your arms in,” said Maverick and tucked the duvet up under his chin, making Alex smile. He walked towards the door and as he went out, he said, “good night, sleep tight, mind the bed bugs don't bite.” Alex smiled to himself. “Bed bugs,” he mumbled, with a giggle but had to peer under the duvet just in case. But of course there were no bed bugs. </p><p>***</p><p>The next day when Alex got home, he called Marc and asked him to come round urgently, and his brother was there within the hour.</p><p>“Come in, sit down,” said Alex wearily. He wasn’t looking forward to this conversation.</p><p>“I might know what this is about.” Marc bit his lip. “You and Luca have split up, haven't you?”</p><p>“How did you know?” </p><p>“Word travels very fast,” said the older brother sadly. “I'm really sorry. I know you were happy with him but I don't know why you split. All I got was from Dani, who heard it from Jorge, who heard it from Tony, who heard from it one of the VR46 boys. I think it was Enea. So…” He shrugged.</p><p>Alex’s  mouth fell open—he didn't know gossip travelled that fast! “So you were right all along. he's a complete bastard, and I should have listened to you.”</p><p>“What happened?” Marc was starting to frown.</p><p>His brother related the whole sorry tale, as Marc frowned more and more, his eyes darkening until they were almost black.</p><p>He jumped up when Alex finished. “What a fucking pair of—” He launched into such a volley of the rudest of Catalan swear words that it left the younger Marquez quite shocked. “They’re both dead to me now and I’ll knock them off their bikes if I can.”</p><p>Alex didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, because Marc was reacting exactly as Maverick had predicted.</p><p>“Please don’t do anything to them,” he begged. “Don’t cause another argument, I don’t want people to find out what they did. They’ll have the whole VR46 gang on their side, they could really hurt you.”</p><p>Marc stared at him thoughtfully.</p><p>“So I just thought I'd tell you, and now you’re justified in saying you told me so.” Alex tried to distract him from his thoughts of revenge.</p><p>“I would never say that!” The older brother rushed to sit down next to him and gave him a big hug. “Karma will get them for sure.”</p><p>***</p><p>Over the next few race weekends, the atmosphere was frosty in press conferences—everyone wondered why Marc Marquez was glaring at Valentino Rossi at every chance he got. The Rossi fans used this as proof that Marc was unstable; the Marquez fans used it as proof that Valentino had done something to him; and the journalists came up with wild and numerous theories about what had started their arguments off again. Further confusing everyone was the fact that Valentino studiously ignored Marc when he glowered at him—no one could work out why he didn’t glare back, or give anything away. And occasionally Alex was also in press conferences—but he just blanked Vale, hanging his head as if he had done wrong. Which annoyed Marc and also Maverick if he was there. Maverick was also very distant with his teammate, only posing with him for photos but keeping out of his way everywhere else.</p><p>But Alex just kept seeing Luca everywhere and even worse, he always looked like he’d stepped out of a fashion magazine or a modelling shoot. Once he got stuck, staring at Luca with the VR46 boys, as they talked to fans.</p><p>
  <em>Why do I wish I could just go back and be with him again? My head tells me it was all just a fantasy, but my heart says I had so much fun, especially at the Ranch. Why did it have to be like this?</em>
</p><p>“Don’t look at him,” said Maverick, who was always around now, like Alex’s bodyguard. “Look at these photos of the puppies.” He showed Alex his phone and the dozens of photos of Minnie gambolling with her eight babies. “This is them playing. And this is them eating. And this is them fighting.” Maverick was like a proud dad and Alex couldn’t help smiling at him.</p><p>“What are you going to do with them?”</p><p>“I’ll give them to friends, I’m not selling them. Do you want one?” Maverick’s eyes brightened, making him look like a puppy himself.</p><p>“I’ll have to ask Stich and Shira.” Alex grinned. “They’re very fussy about their housemates.”</p><p>“So that is one for Aleix, one for Pol, one for Isaac, one for Jack Miller, one for my other cousin, one for my auntie.” He ticked them off on his fingers. “That’s two left…hm…”</p><p>***</p><p>At the next race weekend, Alex unfortunately found himself in a photo shoot with some of the VR46 boys—Franco Morbidelli, Pecco Bagnaia, Enea Bastianini—and some other younger riders like Iker Lecuona, Jorge Martin, Miguel Oliveira and Brad Binder, as a montage of the new young wave of riders moving up the ranks. This made Alex very nervous but to his surprise, he found himself flanked by Miguel and Brad wherever he went.</p><p>“Dani told us to look after you today,” whispered Miguel at a moment when the others were walking away. “He said it was a matter of life or death, and our duty to protect you at all costs.”</p><p>Brad nodded, looking concerned, and Alex smiled at them both. Good old Dani.</p><p>He was placed between Iker and Brad, but the VR46 boys were behind him and he waited for sarcastic comments, maybe whistles and mysterious pokes in the back. And he waited…and waited…</p><p>But they didn’t come. Maybe it was the looming presence of Miguel and Brad? Alex couldn’t work it out.</p><p>***</p><p>Weeks passed. Race weekends passed. Alex felt weird—after the intense dream of being the new friend of the VR46 club and the lover of its prince, he was now just a mere mortal again.</p><p>“It’ll get easier, don’t worry,” said Maverick soothingly, as they sat together outside in the sunshine of San Marino. “Everyone says it, but time really does heal.”</p><p>Alex sighed. “I know; everyone thinks the brothers are so perfect, but they’re horrible. I wonder if they’ve done the same to anyone else.”</p><p>Maverick kept quiet, avoiding his companion’s eyes.</p><p>“I guess they haven’t. They picked me because I’m Marc’s brother.” He sighed.</p><p>“Well fuck them. Ignore them and move on. I know it’s easy to say, but you deserve better.”</p><p>Alex raised an eyebrow.</p><p>“There’s people who like you who are much better than Luca Marini, and you should start noticing them instead.”</p><p>The Honda rider was surprised to see how emotional Maverick was getting, and doubly surprised when he stood up and stormed off.</p><p>“What the hell was that about?” Alex said to himself.</p><p>He didn’t see Maverick for the rest of the weekend, which was very unusual, so he became lost in his own thoughts.</p><p>***</p><p>At the next race weekend, Alex prioritised finding Maverick and finally found him sitting in the sunshine on a grassy hill, alone.</p><p>“Alright, mate?” Alex felt like he’d done something wrong.</p><p>“Yeah.”</p><p>The taller rider took a chance. “Why did you storm off last time?”</p><p>Maverick shrugged. “Just got fed up with you pining over Marini. It’s been a while now.”</p><p>“Oh. Sorry.” Alex considered. <em>Have I really been that selfish and boring? Well that changes right now.</em> “How’s the puppies? Are you keeping any?”</p><p>It was the right choice. His friend’s face lit up, and he talked for five minutes about where the puppies had gone, where they lived now and how he’d kept two to amuse Minnie.</p><p>Alex’s stomach suddenly rumbled and he realised he hadn’t eaten for a while.</p><p>“Do you want to go and eat somewhere, or..?” asked Maverick.</p><p>“Er…” Alex wasn’t sure what the choice was.</p><p>“I’ve got some strawberries and cream. I’m addicted to them.” He opened his bag and took out two pots.</p><p>Alex giggled at Maverick’s surprising preference, as he leant over to take a strawberry out of one pot and dip it in the cream. But instead of eating it himself, he held it up to Alex’s mouth. Unfortunately, Alex moved in surprise at exactly the wrong moment and the cream went all over his nose.</p><p>“Keep still! You're as bad as Minnie,” laughed Maverick.</p><p>Alex looked into his eyes and was suddenly hit by a revelation. <em> Maverick’s been there for me from the minute Luca dumped me. Always in the background, making food for me, tucking me into bed, making me laugh, listening to my complaints. He is perfect in every way—he is kind, he helps other people, he loves dogs and doesn’t spend hours styling his hair. Why the hell am I moping over Luca? </em> He smiled.</p><p>Maverick lifted the hem of Alex’s t-shirt to wipe the cream off his nose, so the taller rider quickly sucked in his stomach to show off his six-pack more. He was pleased to see that Maverick’s glance dipped down to look at the tanned muscles. So this gave Alex an idea. </p><p>The Yamaha rider turned away to put more cream on the strawberry, and when it pressed against Alex’s lips, he sucked it all in, leaves and all, in one go, and waggled his eyebrows suggestively. Maverick’s eyes grew nearly as big as saucers and he gulped, as Alex surreptitiously removed the leaves from his mouth.</p><p>“Your turn,” said Alex innocently, and took a strawberry, dipped it in cream and pushed it at his companion’s lips. Maverick took it all in with one big suck, they stared lustfully at each other and then both giggled, blushing.</p><p>Somebody coughed, making them jump, and turn round to see Bez and Pecco standing there with Luca in the background.</p><p>“We just want to say,” began Pecco, “that we think you've been treated badly by Luca and Vale, and it was nothing to do with us. None of us VR46 boys knew about this stupid bet until yesterday, when we overheard them talking. And we think they’re a pair of jerks.”</p><p>“We miss you at the Ranch,” added Bez, “and we hope you'll still be friends with us and talk to us sometimes.”</p><p>“Yes, if there's anything you ever need,” said Pecco, “just turn to one of us—not just us two, I mean all the VR46 boys—and we’ll always help you.”</p><p>He and Pecco offered their hands and after a few minutes, Alex shook them both. Then they strode off chatting, so Alex and Maverick turned back to each other to continue playing with the strawberries and cream.</p><p>They didn't know that Luca was waiting, staring at them with wide eyes. He watched Alex and Maverick canoodling for a while, thinking, <em>damn, I made a mistake. I could have had him for real, not because of some stupid bet with my asshole brother.</em> Then Bez and Pecco came back to get him.</p><p>“Come on, dickhead,” said Pecco, grabbing his arm. “Stop staring at what you can't have.” And he dragged him away by the arm. </p><p>Wherever Alex went that weekend, a VR46 rider always seemed to pop up, ready to pat him on the back, shake his hand or even buy him a drink, depending on where they were.</p><p>And of course Maverick was by his side the whole weekend. Alex felt very loved and supported, despite the horrible thing that happened to him. But it hadn’t been a VR46 plot after all, it had just been two silly brothers being spiteful. Maverick was better than Luca in every way, and Alex was happier than he'd ever been.</p>
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